Bharatiya Temple of Northwest Indiana Invites you for Utsav Vivah of Lord with Tulsi

Location: Bharatiya Temple of NWI 8605 Merrillville Road,Merrillville,In 46410 Sunday , November 2nd , 2014 Gruhshanti Pooja – 10:30am Shobha of Lord Vishnu – 11.30PM Kanya Agaman and Vivah Pooja noon

Followed by Aarti & Lunch Prasad

RSVP by October 29th Sponsors Yajman Couple For Devi Tulsi : $251 Kanyadan : $21 Yajman couple for Lord Vishnu :$251 Annadan :$51/$101 Yajaman for Kanya ( Devi Tulsi) Agaman : $101 For RSVP please call : Kalpana Bhatt 219-227-5937 Suchita Shah 219-614-1106 Panna Barai 219-614-7820

Sonal Shah 219-201-2670 Shaku Sarma 219-663 -3987 Kalyani Desai 219-613-7732

www.bharatiyatemple-nwindiana.org

Please read the legend of Tulsi Vivah on next page TULSI VIVAH LEGEND

Tulsi Vivah is considered the beginning of the wedding season in India in the month of , which occurs in October/November every year. Tulsi Vivah is conducted on the day after Kartik Ekadashi (the eleventh bright day of the new moon, Amavasya). According to , Devi Tulsi is ceremonially married to Lord Vishnu on this day. The festival continues for five days and concludes on the full moon day of Purnima..

The festival is based on the legend of the marriage (or Vivah) of the holy Tulsi plant with Lord Vishnu. The Tulsi plant is considered holy by many and traditional Hindu homes used to have Tulsi plant growing in the courtyard. Offerings were made to the Tulsi plant every morning and evening during the daily prayers. But how can there be a festival devoted to the marriage of a plant and a God? We have to turn to legend and mythology for an explanation.

Tulsi is considered to be an incarnation of Maha , who was born as Vrinda in her previous birth. Vrinda was married to a demon king Jalandhar. But she prayed to Lord Vishnu that her demon husband would be protected, with the result that no God was able to harm him. However on the request of the other gods, Lord Vishnu took the form of Jalandhar and stayed with the unsuspecting Tulsi. When the truth emerged after Jalandhar’s death, Vrinda cursed Vishnu and turned him to stone () and collapsed. From her body emerged the Tulsi plant. That is why Vishnu pooja is considered incomplete without Tulsi leaves. Since then, every year Tulsi is married to Lord Vishnu and the event is known as Tulsi Shaligram Vivah. It is said that the person who performs the wedding ceremony of Devi Tulsi to Lord Vishnu, considering her to be his own daughter, is considered to earn the punya of performing kanya-daan.

Another legend says that Tulsi came out of the ocean during Amrita manthan as a younger sister of Lakshmi. She was devoted to Lord Vishnu and wanted to marry him but Lakshmi, who was already married to him, did not like the idea and cursed her to become a plant. Thus the Tulsi plant was born. But the all merciful Lord Vishnu took pity and fulfilling her wish declared that when he will be in the form of a saligram she will remain close to him in the form of a Tulsi leaf.